Catharina Goldnau
Toronto, Canada
[email protected]
Artist Statement
Past and Present, clash of opposites or unified reality? The world looms large around, the primordial chaos was sorted, put in order by creating objects that carry meaning, manufactured to fulfil needs, desires and aesthetics as defined by culture. Life is lived in the space that is created between opposites, defined by civilizations over time. Rough vs polished, nature vs culture, Void of Value vs Priceless – who decides? Where is the value in the porcelain vase broken into 1000 shards? Disappeared? In Limbo? Searching I dive into the pile of broken pieces, I hunt for the right shard, cutting my fingers, bloody. These shards, testaments of my work, my children — memories of touch, shape, hope, idea and purpose. Foundations for new pieces, build from them and on them, and it feels true — I feel whole. Mending the cavity that was left behind when the baby was broken.
I build from shards and rough clay, putting the chaos back in order, giving birth to a new some…thing. An object of cultural significance, a jewelry box, a treasure chest, a bowl — but not quite. Testimonials of the primal ooze make their presence known, strewn throughout, bold and shy. The porcelain shard flashes, fragmented canine, reminding of former splendor and questioning present value systems from a bed of dirt. What’s your score?
Biography
Catharina Goldnau explores transitions, juxtaposing traditions and materials in sculptural work that borders functionality. Born next to the Iron Curtain in Germany, she moved to Canada at the age of 19. After academic studies, four children and a teaching career, Catharina studied ceramics at Sheridan College under Bruce Cochrane, Linda Sormin and Laura Kukkee.
Forming clay by hand complements the intellectual task of manipulating clay and glaze chemistry. Compelled to innovate, she explores non-traditional ways to work with clay — combining unconventional materials yields intriguing variations of form and unusual finishes. The effects of heat and fire play a defining role, creating new forms and surfaces, tearing and splitting in the kiln.
Catharina served as President of FUSION: The Ontario Clay and Glass Association from 2021 to 2025, and is a member of the Ontario Society of Artists, the Women’s Art Association of Canada, and the Colour and Form Society. An award-winning graduate of Sheridan College’s Bachelor of Craft and Design program, her work has been exhibited across Canada, the United States, and Germany, and is held in private collections internationally.
Selected Highlights
🏆 Gardiner Museum Graduating Award, 2018
🏆 Ontario Arts Council Grant, 2019
🏆 Emerging Artist Award, FUSION Ontario Clay and Glass Association, 2019
🏆 ICAN 2022 Ceramic Art Daily Wall Calendar Winner — Sculpture
Solo shows at the Gardiner Museum (2019), Ruth Upjohn Gallery (2022, 2024), and Women’s Art Association (2025). Exhibited internationally at Viridian Gallery (NYC), GEDOK Gallery (Hamburg), Clay Center of New Orleans, and open i space gallery (Santa Barbara).
Represented by ARTA Gallery (Distillery District, Toronto), Gardiner Museum Shop, and the Ontario Society of Artists.